Railroad-car.



PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904. J. W. VAN DYKE.

RAILROAD GAR.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 16, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented August 30, 1904.

PATENT EETQE.

RAILROAD-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 768,888, dated August 30, 1904.

A li ati n fil d April 16, 1904. Serial No. 203,518. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WV. VAN DYKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia,in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad-cars, more especially, but not exclusively, to railroad tank-cars; and it has particular reference to cars which are provided with a frame under the car body to receive and transmit the stresses incident to coupling, starting, and stopping, such transmission of stress being with or without assistance from the car-body. In a tank-car the tank constitutes the car-body.

One advantage obtainable by the invention is a high ratio of strength to weight in those cars in which for any reason an underframe is expedient-as, for example, in making over tank-cars in which the tanks are of very thin sheet metal. Other advantages are the ability to have all parts of the car accessible for inspection and repairs and the ability to utilize the most common forms of commercial iron.

projections for the side bearings, bolsters underlying the longitudinal sills being dispensed wit 1.

To employ center-bearing blocks and outboard side-bearing projections without bodybolsters underlying the longitudinal sills and extending beyond the same in order to carry the side bearings is believed to be new when the said sills are not connected by top and bot-- tom plates, either or both, as well as when such platesare employed, and broad claim to such construction is made accordingly. The

sills themselves are advantageously made of flanged metal-rolled or pressed steel, for examp1ein the form of channel-beams or in other appropriate form, and the plates constituting, respectively, the top and bottom of the hollow column are best made of flat sheets. The flanges of the sills are best at right angles to the webs of the same, as in the commonest forms of commercial flanged metal, and the sills are best disposed with their webs vertical.

To connect a tank or other car-body with the above described underframe, various means might be used within the limits of the invention, since the underframe itself is believed to be new; but the invention also comprises improvements in tank-attaching means, which are themselves believed tobe new generally, as well as in connection with the abovedescribed underframe, and which are claimed accordingly.

Heretofore two general sorts of tank-attaching means have been devisedone in which the tank seated on the underframe between longitudinally and laterally retaining devices is prevented by straps i'rom being thrown from its seat and the other in which the tank is secured by rivets or the like. In accordance with the present invention the middle of the tank is secured to the underframe by rivets, and the ends are held down between laterally-retaining devices by means which allow the tank to expand longitudinally. Devices at the ends of the tank to prevent or restrain longitudinal movement of the tank are unnecessary, since the riveting of the tank to the underframe at the middle, prevents such motion. I

Tank-cars are sometimes filled with'oil when this is hot; also, they are sometimes filled with steam for cleaning, and in either case the tank would become hotter than the underframe, and severe stresses on the rivets. might be caused by the unequal expansion of the tank and underframe, respectively. By allowing the tank to expand longitudinally such stresses are lessened or avoided.

For securing the middle of the tank by rivets it is best to use plates which are secured to the tank and the longitudinal sills by separate sets of rivets. For restraining the lateral motion of the tank it is best to use curved plates or saddles under the tank ends in connection with straps which pass over the tank and are suitably anchored below-as, for example, in, lugs on the curved plates or saddles.

It is an advantage and special improvement to apply one or more patches over the area of fastening inside the tank where it is riveted to the underframe, so that leakage in such area. or even the tearing out of a portion of the same would not cause the tank to leak.

The invention also comprises other parts, improvements,or combinations, ashereinafter set forth.

The accompanyingdrawings illustrate what is considered the best'mode of carrying the invention into effect, it being understood that modifications can be made indefinitely within the domain of the invention so long as the substance of any one or more of the hereinafter-written claims is taken.

Figure 1 is a view, half in horizonal section and half in plan,of the new or improved under frame for a railroad tank-car. the tank and the wheeled trucks being omitted. Fig. 2 is a view of said underframe with a portion of the tank in transverse section on line A A of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a view, half in transverse vertical section on line B B of Fig. 1 and half in end "iew, of the underframe, the tank, as well as the wheeled trucks, being omitted; and Fig. 4 is a view, half in longitudinal vertical sectional and half in side view, of a tan k-car in accordance with the invention.

The underframe shown is composed of two longitudinal sills (I, and longitudinal plates and 0, respectively, the plates 0 overlying and the plate 0 underlying the sills and all secured thereto. The bottom plates could be used without the top plates and conversely, or both could be omitted; but the advantage of the hollow column, formed of both top and bottom plates with the sills, would be sacrificed if the longitudinal plates should be omitted, either top or bottom, and the frame would be still further weakened if both top and bottom plates should be omitted. The sills. as shown, are of flanged metal,(channel-beams,) with the webs arranged vertical and the top and bottom flanges at right angles thereto. Thus flat plates and 0 rest properly on said flanges and may be secured thereto by rivets. (See Fig. 2.) The extremities of the sills are connected by end pieces (I, and near the ends draft members 0 are secured to the sills. The sills might be placed at other distances apart and any suitable draft-rigging might be used; but it is considered most advantageous to separate the sills by a distance of about or above three times the width of the draw-bar f, as shown, and when placed at such distance they accommodate a draft-rigging (which is placed between them) composed of three springs g abreast. These springs, as shown, are held between followers 71 which are inclosed by the strap 7' and end of draw-bar 7", to which latter the ends of said strap are secured, as common in the draft-rigging of railroad-cars. The ends of the followers are found between stationary stops forming part of the draft members (a on the longitudinal sills (t. hen a draw-bar f is pushed in, it presses back the outer follower l1 and compresses the springs g, whose inner ends bear against the inner follower it. this latter being held from motion by the stops on the sills. hen the drawbar is pulled out, the strap 7' draws the inner follower b outward and compresses the springs 1 the outer follower being held from motion by the stops on the sills a. The draw-bar passes through the end piece (Z, and, as shown, it is upheld in part by the removable pin 1' and in part by the followers it, whose ends rest upon the removable pins Z. By taking out these pins the draft-rigging is no longer supported and can readily be removed.

As shown, body-bolsters underlying the sills e are dispensed with. Between the sills and secured thereto are blocks m, which carry the center bearings 01.. Each center bearing rests in the known way on a corresponding center i bearing on the truck-bolster p. The kingpins I] enter the blocks m and truck-bolsters Beyond the sills and secured thereto are outboard projections '1', which carry the side bearings a, the truck-bolster having corresponding side bearings 15, as well'understood.

Overlying the sills a, are the plates or saddles c, which are shown, Fig. 3 and left-hand end of Fig. 4:, as having flat bottoms to rest on the plates 7) and concave upper surfaces to receive and embrace the tank to, resting thereflat surfaces, which rest on the plates 7). The said plates or saddles are secured to the underframe best by rivets passing through the same and through the top flanges of the sills a. (See sectional part of Fig. 3.) The plates or saddles 2) project beyond the sills (1,, and braces .11 are interposed between such projections and the outboard projections '1'. which carry the side bearings s. Said. braces are fastened at the ends to the corresponding projections. Thus when the tank rocks the weight of the tank and contents is transmitted to the truck-bolster through the appropriate braces and ends of the outboard projections 9'. The curved (concave) upper surfaces of the plates or saddles o are best made with a raised marginal portion y, on which the tank is seated. The plates or saddles w, the braces 11:, the outboard projections r, the center-bearing blocks m, the end pieces (6, and draft members a can best be made of malleable-iron castings.

The tank is secured at the middle to the underframe by rivets, best, as shown, by intermediate plates .2', which are fastened by separate sets of rivets to the tank w and to the webs of The bottoms of the plates or saddles are shown as provided with recesses between the sills a, respectively. (See Fig. 2.) The rivets hold the tank against endwise motion and also prevent the tank and underframe from separating in a vertical direction. Any tendency of the underframe to sag in the middle is resisted by the tank, while the tank is held by the rivets against shocks tending to. tear it loose much more effectively than it would be by the customary straps. At the ends the tank is held down to the plates or saddles o by straps 2, which pass over the tank 20 and are anchored in the underframenamely, in the lugs 3 on the plates or saddles c. These allow the tank to expand longitudinally. As the tank 20 is secured by rivets to the underframe only for a small part of its length at one place, (the middle,) these do not interfere with the free longitudinal expansion. ithout the tank the underframe is able to afford great resistance to compressive and tensile stresses; but when the tank is secured thereto by riveting at the middle and strapping at the ends the resistance is materially increased. The underframe and the tank then tend to brace and support each other.

To prevent leakage where the tank is riveted to the plates 2, the'areas of fastening are covered inside the tank w by patches or coverplates at, whose margins are riveted to the bottom sheet of the tank and calked.

At 5 is the discharge-pipe for emptying the tank. At 6 is an extra bottom plate, riveted to the bottom flanges of the sills a by the same rivets which hold the plate 0.

The brake mechanism can be of any suitable description. As shown, the body brakelever 7 is pivoted under the bottom plate 0 to the lower flange of alongitudinal sill a and is upheld by straps 8 and 9, fastened under the bottom plate 0 to the flanges of the two longitudinal sills, respectively. (See sectional part of Fig. 4.) The outer end of the lever 7 is jointed to the connecting-rod 10, which leads to the live brake-lever (not shown) of the truck. The middle of lever 7 is connected by the operating-rod 11 with the middle of the floating body brake-lever 12, which is upheld by two straps 13 and 14, located under the bottom plate 0 and riveted to the corresponding flanges of the longitudinal sills. (See Fig. 3.) At one end the lever 12 is jointed to the connecting-rod 15, which leads to the live brakelever (not shown) on the truck. At its other end it is jointed to the operating-rod 16, which is drawn forward by hand in order to apply the brakes. The chain 17 is fastened at one end to the bracket 18. is reeved around the pulley in the end of rod 16, runs over the pulley in bracket 18, and is wound upon the shaft of the hand-wheel 19. The bracket 18 is fastened to the web of the corresponding sill a. The end of lever 12 is also connected with the piston-rod 20 of the air-brake. The air-brake cylinder 21 and reservoir 22 are shown as supported by the brackets 23, Figs.

1, 2, and 4:, which are fastened to and project outward from the corresponding sill a.

The train-pipe 24 is shown as fastened by clips along the webs of the sills a and provided with a branch 25, leading to the triple valve 26.

The tank 20 carries arunning-board 27, hand-rail 28, and grab-irons 29. There are also steps 30 leading to the running-board and grab-irons 31 on the latter.

At 32 is a rock-shaft. a lever-arm of which is connected by chain 33 with the couplingpin to enable cars to be uncoupled without going between them.

At 34 are the channel-irons, which connect the side frames 35 of the trucks with each other.

I claim as my invention or discovery- 1. A railroad-car having for its underframe a hollow colun1n,composed of longitudinal sills and longitudinal plates, respectively, overlying and underlying said sills and secured thereto, and also having an overlying carbody or tank which rests on transverse supports or saddles upheld by said underframe, substantially as described.

2. A railroad-car having for its underframe a hollow column,composed of longitudinal sills and longitudinal plates, respectively, overlying and underlying said sills and secured thereto, and being provided with draft-rigging arranged between said sills with draft members secured thereto, and said car also having an overlying car-body or tank which rests on transverse supports or saddles upheld by said underframe,substantially-as described.

3. A railroad-car in which body-bolsters underlying the longitudinal sills are dispensed with, the center bearings being carried by blocks arranged between and secured to the longitudinal sills and the side bearings by outboard projections, substantially as described.

4. A railroad-car in which body-bolsters underlying the longitudinal sills are dispensed with, the center bearings being carried by blocks. arranged between and secured to the longitudinal sills and the side bearings by outboard projections, and the longitudinal sills being tied together by plates, substantially as described.

5. A railroad car having an underframe composed of longitudinal sills and longitudi nal plates which underlie and are secured to said sills, and also having an overlying carbody or tank which rests upon transverse supports or saddles upheld by said underframe, substantially as described.

6. A railroad car having an underframe composed of longitudinal sills, and flat longitudinal plates secured thereto, and also having an overlying car-body or tank which rests upon transverse supports or saddles upheld by said und rframe, substantially as described.

7. The combination with longitudinal sills provided with outboard side-bearing projections, of plates or saddles secured to said sills and forming projections beyond the same, braces between the former and the latter projections, and center-bearing blocks interposed between and secured to said sills, substantially as described.

8. The combination with longitudinal sills provided with outboard side-bearing projections, of curved plates or saddles secured to said sills and forming projections beyond the same, braces between the former and the latter projections, center-bearing blocks interposed between and secured to said sills, and a tank resting on and embraced by said curved plates or saddles, substantially as described.

9. The combination with longitudinal sills of flanged metal with flanges at right angles to their webs, of iiat-bottom curved plates or saddles extending between and secured to said sills, the flat bottoms of said plates or saddles resting upon and terminating at the edges of said sills and the curved upper portions forming projections beyond the same, and a tank resting on and embraced by said plates or sad dles, substantially as described.

10. The combination with longitudinal sills of flanged metal with flanges at right angles to their webs, and flat longitudinal plates secured to said sills, of fiat bottomed curved plates or saddles extending between and secured to said sills, the fiat bottoms of said plates or saddles resting upon and terminating at the edges of said sills and the curved upper portions forming projections beyond the same, and a tank resting on and embraced by said plates or saddles, substantially as described.

11. A curved plate or saddle for the tank of a railroad-car, having a flat bottom under the middle portion only of said plate or saddle, the upper curved portion projecting on either side beyond said flat bottom, substantially as described.

12. A fiat-bottomed curved tank-supporting plate or saddle, provided at the ends of the upper curved portion with lugs for anchoring the ends of a tank-holding strap therein, substantially as subscribed.

13. A railroad'car composed of an underframe, flat-bottomed curved plates or saddles secured to said underframe near the ends of the latter, a tank resting on said plates or saddles and securl d by rivets at the middle to said underframe, and straps passing over the tank and anchored at the ends,-substantially as described.

let. A railroad-car, composed of an underframe, and a tank secured by rivets at the middle to said underframe and held at the ends by means which allow the tank to expand longitudinally, substantially as described.

15. A railroad-car, composed of an underframe, and a car-body secured by rivets at the middle to said underframe and held at the ends by means which allow the car-body to expand, substantially as described.

16. A railroad-car, composed of an underframe, and a tank secured by rivets at one place to said underframe and held at other places by means which allow the tank to expand, substantially as described.

17. The combination of longitudinal sills, plates secured to the said sills at the middle, curved plates or saddles secured to said sills near the ends, a tank riveted at the middle to said first-mentioned plates and resting at the ends on said curved plates or saddles,and straps passing over said tank at the ends and anchored at the ends, substantially as described.

18. A railroad-car, composed of an underframe extending between the trucks, and a tank riveted to said underframe and provided on the inside with tight patches over the area of fastening, substantially as described.

19. A curved plate or saddle for the tank of a railroad-car, having a raised marginal portion on which the tank is seated, substantially as described.

20. A railroad tank-car, having an underframe com posed of sills which carry draft members on their adjacent faces and are separated by a distance between said draft members equal to about three times the width of the draw-bar, as a minimum, and also having draft-rigging set between said sills with a minimum of three springs abreast in such rigging, the diameter of each spring being about equal to the width of the draw-bar, substantially as described.

21. The combination of longitudinal sills, outboardprojections which diminish in depth toward their outer ends and have their deep inner ends secured to the webs of said sills, plates or saddles projecting beyond the sills,

and braces interposed between the said plates or saddles and said outboard projections, substantially as described.

22. The combination of longitudinal sills, outboard projections, plates or saddles projecting beyond the sills, and braces detached from the sills and interposed between the said plates or saddles and the said outboard projections, substantially as described.

JOHN W. VAN DYKE.

WVitnesses:

WILLIAM Downs ANDERSON, Z. Buses. 

